Birthday Wishes and Unexpected Presents
by HachimansKitsune
Summary: On turning 21, a distant dream begins to haunt not only Sarah's sleep, but her waking hours as well, but was it really a dream or something more? How can she hope to remember? Rated M for language and adult situations. Song/fanfic. Please R&R! :


**A/N:** This is my first fanfic. It started as a one-shot plot bunny, but apparently it has developed a mind of its own. I'm still chasing the sodding bunny to see where it leads. :) Please read and review!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own 'Labyrinth' or any of the characters (but I'd happily snog Jareth senseless given half a chance! Just sayin!).

_Lyrics in this chapter from "Add It Up" by the Violent Femmes_

_**M-rating for language and adult themes - you have been warned!**  
><em>

BIRTHDAY WISHES

Ch. 1 ADD IT UP

If she looked out the window she would have seen him, his brilliant white plumage silhouetted against the full moon. Inquisitively he watched her, head cocked to the side as if contemplating her movements.

With the wild abandon of one who doesn't know they are being watched, she danced to the pounding rhythm coming from the battered stereo on the desk. The somewhat discordant notes struck him as awkward, yet seemed to drive her need to dance.

_Why can't I get just one kiss?_  
><em>Why can't I get just one kiss?<em>  
><em>There may be some things that I wouldn't miss<em>  
><strong><em>But I look at your pants and I need a kiss<em>**

Sarah shouted the last line giving a quick shimmy of her hips as she did so, the silk of the short silk robe gliding over her flesh in response to the movement. Pausing her frenetic dancing she fought with a distant memory, something she had thought long buried… "Hmm…. Tights. Boots." Frowning she wondered, "Now why on earth would I think of that?"

As quickly as the image floated into her mind it was gone, a mere ghost of a distant dream.

_Why can't I get just one screw?_  
><em>Why can't I get just one screw?<em>  
><em>Believe me, I know what to do<em>  
><strong><em>But something won't let me make love to you<em>**

Again, she emphasized the last line, shouting the lyrics and dropping the robe from her shoulders to fall in a crimson puddle at her feet. Dressed only in tight black jeans, she continued to wiggle in time to the music, as her roommate Rhiannon bounced from the shared bathroom to join in.

Sarah paused momentarily as a flash of a memory snuck into her mind. "Fear me, love me, do as I say….." Shaking her head to rid herself of the unsettling feeling of déjà vu, Sarah continued dancing, gyrating in time to the music.

Emerald eyes peered from beneath dark lashes as Sarah surveyed her face in the mirror, the paleness of her skin offset the brown velvet waves that tumbled loosely over her bare shoulders. With a careful hand she applied lipstick, rubbing her lips together until she was pleased with the effect, her head continuing to bob along with the music in the background.

Turning, Sarah grabbed the flowing poet's shirt from a nearby chair and slipped it over her head, the green silk sliding smoothly over her curves. Her eyes twinkled mischeviously as she continued to shout the raucus lyrics with her roommate.

_Why can't I get just one fuck?  
>Why can't I get just one fuck?<br>I guess it's got something to do with luck  
><strong>BUT I WAITED MY WHOLE LIFE FOR JUST ONE...<strong>  
><em>

'And I have,' she thought with a slight frown. 'Why am I waiting' – but she already knew the answer.

With a laugh, Rhiannon amended the lyrics shouting, "Virgin sacrifice," while pointing at Sarah, who blushed heatedly and shrugged.

"Okay, so maybe I have been waiting for the right guy. Nothing wrong with that," Sarah retorted as her delicate fingers deftly fasted the busk of the black leather waspie wrapped tightly around her waist. She gave the waist cincher a tug, checking her reflection in the mirror, pleased with the way the black of the waspie played against the deep green of her shirt and the sensuous curves of her hips.

Sarah saw herself as quite ordinary looking, but others saw things differently. The boys in her classes spent the first few weeks of every semester asking her out, only to be shot down time and time again. Eventually they learned not to bother. As a result she had earned a reputation of being an ice princess, 'Which isn't fair' she thought to herself.

It wasn't that she wasn't interested in dating, she reasoned as she touched up her eye-shadow, it was just that she wasn't interested in _them_. The boys in her classes, were dull and lifeless compared to the man who haunted her dreams – but he, unfortunately was unattainable since he didn't exist.

Laughing she threw herself onto her bed to put on her boots. Sprawling on her back she tugged the knee high suede boots up her legs. Eying her roommate and laughing she put on her best 'temptress' face, her hands caressing her inner thighs blatantly as she sang….

_Words to memorize, words hypnotize  
>Words make my mouth exercise<br>Words all failed the magic prize  
>Nothing I can say when I'm in your thighs<br>_

"Oooh Sarah," Rhiannon cooed. "You say the nicest things" she teased – ducking to avoid the pillow Sarah lobbed at her head in response.

"Tart!" Sarah yelled as she launched back into the song.

_Oh, ma-mama, mo-ma, mo-ma mother  
>I would love to love you, lover<br>City is restless, it's ready to pounce  
>Here in your bedroom, ounce for ounce<br>_

"Takes one to know one," retorted Rhiannon.

_I've given you a decision to make  
>Things to lose, things to take<br>Just as she's about ready to cut it up  
>She says, "Wait a minute, honey, I'm gonna add it up!"<em>

"Hang on a sec Rhee, back it up and play the last bits again."

Rhiannon, bounced to the stereo and replayed the last few stanzas of the song, looking at Sarah inquisitively.

"Seriously Sarah? We sing this song every time we get ready to go out. You know the words."

Waving a hand to shush Rhiannon, Sarah listened intently to the song, whispering the words slowly…

_I've given you a decision to make  
>Things to lose, things to take<br>Just as she's about ready to cut it up  
>She says, "Wait a minute, honey, I'm gonna add it up!"<em>

Shaking her head Sarah muttered, "That isn't what she said."

"You okay Sarah hon?" Rhee asked, looking at her best friend with open concern.

"Power….power," Sarah whispered, struggling to grasp the thread of a long forgotten memory that was teasing her, dancing around the edges of her consciousness. "How did it go? Something about power."

"Okay, seriously _now _you are starting to scare me girlfriend. What are you going on about now?"

Looking at the faraway look in Sarah's eyes, Rhiannon slowly nodded in understanding. "It's about him isn't it?"

Shaking her head to clear the thought from her mind, Sarah swung her legs over the side of the bed sitting up again. Looking up at the concern etched on Rhiannon's face she nodded. "Yes. Him. I wish I could remember more than these tiny fragments. I don't know if it was a dream, a legitimate memory, or even who he is but he is always there, haunting my mind."

With a sigh she launched herself off the bed, grabbing her friend in a hug as she resumed dancing around the dorm room they shared.

"It's okay Rhee. Someday I'll figure it out, but for tonight it is you and me taking on the town because I am finally LEEEEEEEGAL," she said, shouting her legality for everyone on their floor to hear.

Rhiannon loosened herself from Sarah's wild hug and laughed. "Yeah, it is about time too. Now if we could just get you laid, THAT would be a birthday present worth crowing about."

Rolling her eyes Sarah gave her roommate a playful shove. "There is time enough for that. When I find the right guy, then I'll consider it. Now grab your gear and let's get the heck outta here!"

"Honey, if you wait for the right guy you'll be waiting a long time. It is really about time to settle for 'Mister Right-Now'. Honestly, the man in your dreams doesn't exist, so it is silly to hold out for him to show up."

Sarah cocked her head and looked at Rhianonn as her friend pulled a jacket from the closet and snatched her purse from the floor. "Maybe you're right. Besides, I suppose I gotta lose 'it' sometime."

"That's the spirit girlie! Now come on, let's go test out your new 'legal' id," grinned Rhiannon, linking arms with Sarah and dragging her out the door.

Sarah stopped to lock the door, briefly glancing out the window on the opposing wall. For a moment, just a brief snippet of time really, she thought she saw a white owl perched on the branch outside, triggering a name inside her head.

"Jareth," she whispered softly.

She shivered, realizing what she said but unsure why or what it meant. Pulling the door shut behind her, she missed seeing the owl take flight, soaring pale feathers shimmering against the night sky.


End file.
